Carole Cole
Encyclopedia
Carole "Cookie" Cole was an American actress and music producer as the CEO of King Cole Productions. She was sometimes credited as Carol Cole.
and was the adopted daughter of Nat King Cole
and adopted sister of Natalie Cole
. Her biological mother, Carol Hawkins, was the sister of Nat King Cole's wife, Maria. Through her mother, Cole was related to educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown
. The eldest of Nat King Cole
's children, she had three children, Caroline Clarke, Sage Zailm Cole, and Harleigh Maxim Cole.
Cole died on May 19, 2009. She was 64 and is survived by all three of her children. Carole died, in hospital, while her sister Natalie was in another hospital undergoing kidney transplant surgery.
at Cazenovia College
and pursued a vital acting career that spanned theater, television and film. In 1964, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures New Talent program, along with friend and colleague Harrison Ford
. During her acting career she starred in the motion pictures The Silencers, (1967) The Mad Room, (1969) Promise at Dawn, (1970)
and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, (1974). She appeared on television in "Positively Black" (1975) and was a series costar on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son
. On stage Cole appeared in Gore Vidal
's "Weekend" (1968), the Lincoln Center Public Theater production of "Pericles
" (1974 New York Shakespeare Festival) and "What If It Had Turned Up Heads" (1972). She also appeared as a series regular in the role of Ellie, the daughter of Grady Wilson
, in the 1970s TV series Grady
(a spin-off of the highly successful Sanford and Son
).
In 1991, Carole became the CEO of King Cole Productions, where she masterminded the use and licensing of the vast catalog which had belonged to her father, Nat King Cole
, as well as his name and likeness. She produced such albums as "Christmas for Kids: From One to Ninety Two," "The World of Nat King Cole," "Transcriptions: Nat King Cole Trio," amongst many others. For 20 years under her supervision, Nat King Cole posthumously released an album nearly every year.
In 2009, shortly before her death from lung cancer, Carole released "Re: Generations," a collaboration of international artists providing their artistic interpretations and tributes to specific works of Nat King Cole
. Carole executive produced the album which included tracks performed by The Roots
, will.i.am
, Cee-Lo
, Natalie Cole
, Bebel Gilberto
, Stephen & Damian Marley and Brazilian Girls
.
Personal life
Cole was born in Medford, MassachusettsMedford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
and was the adopted daughter of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
and adopted sister of Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
. Her biological mother, Carol Hawkins, was the sister of Nat King Cole's wife, Maria. Through her mother, Cole was related to educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown
Charlotte Hawkins Brown
Charlotte Hawkins Brown was an American educator and academic.Born Lottie Hawkins in Henderson, North Carolina, in the late 1880s her family moved north to settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
. The eldest of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
's children, she had three children, Caroline Clarke, Sage Zailm Cole, and Harleigh Maxim Cole.
Cole died on May 19, 2009. She was 64 and is survived by all three of her children. Carole died, in hospital, while her sister Natalie was in another hospital undergoing kidney transplant surgery.
Career
Carole received an associate's degreeAssociate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
at Cazenovia College
Cazenovia College
Cazenovia College is a small, independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college, located in Cazenovia, New York. Cazenovia offers a comprehensive liberal arts education with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. Cazenovia College has been...
and pursued a vital acting career that spanned theater, television and film. In 1964, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures New Talent program, along with friend and colleague Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
. During her acting career she starred in the motion pictures The Silencers, (1967) The Mad Room, (1969) Promise at Dawn, (1970)
Promise at Dawn
Promise at Dawn is a 1970 drama film directed by Jules Dassin. It is based on the 1960 novel Promise at Dawn by Romain Gary.-Cast:* Melina Mercouri - Nina Kacew* Assi Dayan - Romain age 25* Didier Haudepin - Romain age 15...
and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, (1974). She appeared on television in "Positively Black" (1975) and was a series costar on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
. On stage Cole appeared in Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
's "Weekend" (1968), the Lincoln Center Public Theater production of "Pericles
Pericles
Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars...
" (1974 New York Shakespeare Festival) and "What If It Had Turned Up Heads" (1972). She also appeared as a series regular in the role of Ellie, the daughter of Grady Wilson
Grady Wilson
----Grady Wilson is the name of a fictional recurring character on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son played by the late Whitman Mayo. The character's name first appeared in the 1972 episode "The Dowry;" however, in this episode he was played by Albert Reed, Jr. and he was Fred's cousin...
, in the 1970s TV series Grady
Grady (TV series)
Grady was an spin-off of the sitcom, Sanford and Son. In this series, Fred Sanford's widower friend Grady moves out of Watts and moves in with his daughter and her family in Westwood. Executive producer Norman Lear served as a consultant to the show.Redd Foxx made a special guest appearance as...
(a spin-off of the highly successful Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
).
In 1991, Carole became the CEO of King Cole Productions, where she masterminded the use and licensing of the vast catalog which had belonged to her father, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, as well as his name and likeness. She produced such albums as "Christmas for Kids: From One to Ninety Two," "The World of Nat King Cole," "Transcriptions: Nat King Cole Trio," amongst many others. For 20 years under her supervision, Nat King Cole posthumously released an album nearly every year.
In 2009, shortly before her death from lung cancer, Carole released "Re: Generations," a collaboration of international artists providing their artistic interpretations and tributes to specific works of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
. Carole executive produced the album which included tracks performed by The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, Cee-Lo
Cee-Lo
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway , better known by his stage name Cee Lo Green, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor...
, Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Bebel Gilberto
Bebel Gilberto
Bebel Gilberto is a Brazilian popular singer often associated with bossa nova. She is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miúcha. Her uncle is singer/composer Chico Buarque...
, Stephen & Damian Marley and Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls was a band from New York City known for their eclectic blend of electronic dance music with musical styles as diverse as tango, chanson, house, reggae and lounge. None of the members are actually from Brazil and the only female in the band is Sabina Sciubba. Other members include...
.
External links
- http://www.welovecarole.com